Ancestral Food Knowledge in Brazilian Nutrition Curricula: Development of a Curricular Integration Index and Implications for Racial and Ethnic Health Equity

Purpose The limited recognition of Indigenous, Afro-Brazilian, and other traditional food knowledge in Nutrition education may restrict professionals’ ability to provide culturally responsive care and address racial and ethnic health inequities. This study developed and applied a Curricular Thematic Integration Index to assess the incorporation of ancestral food knowledge, Brazilian sociobiodiversity, and traditional food systems into undergraduate Nutrition curricula at Brazilian federal universities. Methods A nationwide documentary study analyzed pedagogical course projects, curricular matrices, syllabi, teaching plans, program content, and bibliographies. Eligible curricular components were examined across three dimensions: traditional peoples and communities; foods from Brazilian sociobiodiversity; and concepts related to ancestral food knowledge. The index combined five standardized indicators: thematic scope, curricular density, compulsory status, eligible-component workload, and thematic specificity. Results Forty universities were assessed, and 34 included at least one relevant curricular component, totaling 163 eligible curricular components. Most components were compulsory, but curricular integration was uneven and fragmented. The mean index was 0.428, ranging from 0.000 to 0.709. Food and nutrition security and agroecology were frequently addressed, whereas explicit references to Indigenous, quilombola, and other traditional communities, native foods, and traditional culinary practices were less common. Thematic specificity was the weakest index component, and only 12 curricular components integrated all three dimensions. Sensitivity analyses showed moderate-to-high stability of institutional rankings across alternative index specifications. Conclusion Ancestral food knowledge remains insufficiently integrated and territorially grounded in Brazilian Nutrition education. Strengthening intercultural and decolonial curricula may improve professional preparation for culturally responsive practice and contribute to addressing racial and ethnic inequities in food, nutrition, and health.